Hull City clinched Championship survival in the most dramatic possible style as they played out a scarcely-believable 5-5 draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Joe Bryan’s stoppage-time equaliser denied the Tigers what would have been a stunning victory after recovering from a 4-2 deficit to lead 5-4 but the point was enough to guarantee Nigel Adkins’ will avoid relegation to League One.

None could have predicted the chaos that would follow when Harry Wilson opened the scoring in the first half but Famara Diedhiou’s brace either side of Marlon Pack’s strike sent the Robins into a 3-1 lead early in the second half.

An own goal from Frank Fielding, deflecting Fikayo Tomori’s header against the post back into the net, was followed up by Bobby Reid making it 4-2, but three unanswered goals inside 15 minutes from Wilson, Abel Hernandez and Fraizer Campbell took City to the brink of a preposterous win.

Bryan had the last laugh when finishing through a crowd of bodies in the fourth minute of added time but the Tigers’ 10-point lead over the bottom three is now officially insurmountable. It has not always been plain-sailing but Adkins’ side will be a Championship club again next season.

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City’s head coach again opted for a handful of changes in pursuit of the victory that would guarantee safety, including the surprising inclusion of Campbell ahead of Hernandez up front. Michael Dawson, Stephen Kingsley, Jarrod Bowen and Jackson Irvine were also recalled but Bristol City’s greater need for points saw them come bursting out of the blocks.

Jamie Paterson needed just four minutes to carve a chance for Callum O’Dowda. A floated cross from the right channel picked out the run but McGregor was alert to keep out the winger’s volleyed attempt at his near post.

The Robins, who needed a victory to keep up with the play-off pack, were busy but quickly learned they would not have it all their own way. Irvine had sent a drive narrowly wide of the target as the visitors found a foothold in the game that brought them a wonderful opener after 16 minutes.

Wilson needed no invitation to run at a backtracking defence when after swapping passes with Irvine and the winger’s finish was splendid, rifled over Frank Fielding and into the top corner.

City momentarily threatened a second in their best spell of the first half as Bowen tested Fielding low down but it soon became one-way traffic as the home team turned the fixture on its head.

McGregor was alert to tip Kingsley’s misdirected header over his own bar, before the woodwork was thudded by Paterson’s precise strike from distance. The Tigers were wobbling and eight minutes before the interval came the equaliser.

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Pack followed the lead of Wilson when producing a special strike from distance, firing low through bodies and into the bottom corner from 25 yards out, but worse still was to come for City. Diedhiou was far too strong for Dawson when shrugging off the visitors’ captain inside the penalty area and his left-foot strike was too good for McGregor, who was beaten at his near post.

The alarming shift saw Adkins compelled to withdraw Ola Aina after a poor performance at right-back, opting instead to use Tomori on the right of defence.

A City side taking on water were grateful for the interval but any prospect of a comeback in front of the 457 travelling fans was left hanging by a thread when a porous defence shipped a third in the 53rd minute. Reid’s deep ball from the City right found Diedhiou peeling off MacDonald and the striker produced a header befitting the cross when glancing downwards past McGregor.

The Tigers were not done as they clawed back a goal through the most unlikely of sources. MacDonald’s deep cross was met by sub Tomori and though his firm header struck the post, a deflection back off Fielding offered a ray of hope.

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Not that it initially lasted long as Bristol City netted their fourth eight minutes later. MacDonald appeared to have cut out Diedhiou’s through-ball but no sooner had he overran it, the alert Reid was on hand to beat McGregor with an instinctive finish.

Any semblance of shape was fast disappearing in a madcap contest that again saw the Tigers pick themselves off the canvas soon after. Wilson set up to cross a free-kick on the right edge of the penalty area but a perfectly-placed effort into the near top corner had Fielding beaten all ends up.

The Tigers had already gone for broke when introducing Hernandez and Kamil Grosicki but it was Kingsley who almost snatched the equaliser. A left-foot strike had a sweet connection if not the precision required.

Bristol City, though, were visibly fretting. The lead that had once looked secure was in increasing doubt and perished with 10 minutes to play. Grosicki’s cross from the left was deflected into the penalty box and Hernandez made no mistake with a thumping finish.

If the visiting fans were rubbing their eyes in disbelief when drawing level, they were delirious when somehow taking the lead in the 87th minute. Stretched defending allowed Hernandez to play the ball wide to Grosicki and when Eros Pisano slipped, the Poland international unselfishly squared for Campbell to net his first goal in almost five months.

That promised to complete the mother of all comebacks but there was still time for one more twist. City were unable to clear their lines deep inside stoppage time and Bryan’s low drive found its way through a busy crowd and into the bottom corner. Hernandez had a chance to make it 6-5 but that was asking for too much on an afternoon that will live long in the memory.